culture

Taking video cameras to the street, members of Philadelphia’s branch of the Moorish Science Temple of America ask interviewees of various ethnic backgrounds a provocative question: can the term “African American” accurately describe one's nationality?

Meaning “School of Blood Moving in the Heart” in the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs, Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac is a dance and cultural troupe based in the heart of South Philadelphia. A visually captivating portrait of the group told through their own voices, Aztec Dance in Philadelphia raises questions about indigenous history and the retention of cultural heritage in the context of modern immigration. “We consider it a school because we are learning about the culture we have lost,” says one of the group’s members.

During the 1960s and early 1970s, the Aqua Lounge was Philadelphia's premier venue to hear progressive jazz. Located on 52nd Street in West Philadelphia, the venue was the hub of a vibrant local arts community drawing people from all over the region. Regular visits by Jazz artists such as Dave Burrell, Bootsie Barnes, and Wilbur Ware elevated the Aqua Lounge to legendary status among jazz lovers. While the club closed its doors around 1975 and 52nd Street's reputation as a center for the arts declined, the area has recently been experiencing a revival.

Film Still: 

Once a vacant lot, Las Parcelas is now a lush urban garden and community center in Norris Square. Founded in 1990 in this largely Puerto Rican neighborhood in North Philadelphia, the garden is a place where the dedicated women of Grupo Motivos tend a small piece of the island for their community. The garden's verdant vegetable beds "remind me of Puerto Rico," says one gardener, who was unable to travel back to her home on the island for 30 years.

This dynamic tape video, produced by the AAU youth group, explores issues of identity, culture and rights. Shot in a raw, shaky-cam style, Face to Face has fun recontextualizing popular Asian cinematic caricatures, but primarily focuses on the faces of its 10 teen directors. They describe how they deal with stereotypes at school, being harassed by the police, and being in gangs -- or just having people assume that they're in one.